Stars of Fremont Debate, from left to right: Kim, coach Catherine Kuhn, Jack, Cesar, Jazmin, mentor Andres Gannon, and Diego.
When they heard their mentor Andres on NPR, the young stars of Fremont debate had to add their voice. They recorded an audio piece of their own, which is definitely in the running for the most heartwarming 2 minutes of audio in the world.
Click here to listen. The transcript is below:
Continue reading ‘Audio Spotlight: Fremont Debaters Love their Mentor’
New: Hear Andres’ students reflect on the impact he has made on their lives.
Andres Gannon, second from left, with members of the BAUDL family at the 2011 Summer Institute
This morning, September 23, NPR profiled BAUDL superstar volunteer Andres Gannon, highlighting the amazing work he has done for the past four years as we founded the Bay Area Urban Debate League.
His work is truly inspiring, but he is not alone in dedicating his time and talent to this mission. Andres is a star among stars, part of an outstanding community of people who have given so much to help us build youth voice. If you want to join BAUDL as a volunteer, click this link - and listen to the great profile of Andres here:
Public budgets are in crisis around the world. Revenues are falling and crucial programs on the chopping block. Politicians of the adult world have struggled to find a solution.
The Great Debates begin in San Francisco at 6PM on October 26th
Where adults have struggled to advance the ball, the young people of the Bay Area Urban Debate League are ready to pick that ball up and run with it. On October 26th in San Francisco, youth will give a dose of honest, passionate wisdom on how to solve the budget crisis in San Francisco. And let me tell you: they put on a good show.
These youth have been hard at work researching the most crucial political and social issues facing their generation and developing the power of their words to make positive changes in their communities. You are warmly invited to join us in celebrating their dedication and discussing the ideas they bring to the table.
When: October 26, 6PM-7:30PM - action starts at 6PM sharp!
Where: SFUSD Board Room, 555 Franklin St, 1st Floor
What: Amazing young people sound off on the budget crisis
San Francisco community leaders respond and engage
Audience members interact with - and get to meet - the debaters
STUDENTS, Click here to get info and apply for the LDF!
The Bay Area Urban Debate League is proud to announce a new addition to our growing family: the Leading with Debate Fellowship (LDF).
This is a place where young people can build the skills to make change, the skills to become the leaders we need for our communities - and use their passion and energy to bring politics back to life for adults who have become disconnected.
The members of the LDF will be on the cutting edge of the BAUDL’s engagement with the communities around it, conducting research into the most important issues facing these communities and presenting their findings in the form of electrifying public debates.
On a weekly basis, LDF members from San Francisco and the East Bay will meet together, working with BAUDL staff and volunteers on skill-building and gaining knowledge about the political systems around them.
Why we are doing this - and how you can help
The aim is to create a core of students ready to make the most of what makes debate special - the ability to see multiple sides of complicated issues, the grounding in rigorous research, and the excitement of competition - in order to energize and edify the cities of the Bay Area. In the process, by demonstrating their skillls in public events and the media and by reaching out to peers on their own campuses, these young people will shift expectations of Bay Area youth.
We are looking for partners at all stages of the work of the LDF - from helping us identify key issues for discussion, to working with our amazing debaters, to helping produce public events that make a real impact on audiences.
The LDF Launches on September 20. Please get in touch with Executive Director Dmitri Seals at dseals@baudl.org or 510-517-0069 for more information.
STUDENTS, Click here to get info and apply for the LDF!
See the front-page article in the San Francisco Chronicle!
Rashid energizes our awesome students in the final Circle Chant of the institute.
The Fourth Annual BAUDL Summer Institute (August 1-5, 2011) in Oakland was attended by an energetic group of young people from throughout the Bay Area. Made possible by the generous support of the Julia Burke Foundation, this event brought students from public schools in Oakland and San Francisco together with top debate educators from around the country to delve into the most pressing issues of the day.
Lateefah Simon, MacArthur Genius Grant Winner and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee on Civil Rights, provided a guest lecture that was one of the institutes highlights as she described how she utilized debate as a tool for change and advocacy in her personal and professional life.
Beyond the rigorous debate training, one of the most important things was the community building, particularly the circle chants led by the BAUDL’s very own, Rashid Campbell, alumnus of the Skyline Debate Team and current University of Oklahoma star debater. The boisterous and energetic chants set the day on a positive and productive tone for students, institute staff and our amazing teachers.
Continue reading ‘Fourth Annual Summer Institute: Students Thrive through Debate’
BAUDL Alumni Intern Robin Bonner rocking the crowd at Tuesday night's Inaugural Office Warming
On Tuesday, July 26, more than 40 supporters gathered to help the BAUDL launch a new space for youth and debate in downtown Oakland. The energy in the room was electric - from a dazzling poetic performance from alum star Rashid Campbell to the launch of the Leading with Debate Fellowship, and through speeches and stories from an energetic herd of BAUDL youth, there was plenty to entertain and delight.
This space, shared with our partners at McCullum Youth Court, has already opened up exciting new opportunities for the young people we serve: Continue reading ‘Launching a New Space for Youth and Debate’
Perry basking in the pleasures of the new BAUDL lending library. We need your help to make it great!
The Bay Area Urban Debate League needs your books and old laptops. We are launching our first ever Lending Library - and sending our students into a national circuit of competitive debate where laptops are key to survival.
BOOKS: Our students are ready to dig into books on politics, theory, and more. Anything on your shelf that might inspire and edify these young debaters would be welcome. This year’s national debate topic is space - so books on this theme are particularly welcome - but any good books are more than welcome. Please only give books that you have enjoyed; we will inspire our students by keeping the quality high.
LAPTOPS: Anything with the power to run basic office applications is perfect - no matter how old, it will make a real difference. The national circuit of debate is almost entirely paperless now - without laptops our varsity debaters will be seriously disadvantaged.
If you have any books or laptops you can contribute to this noble campaign, please get in touch with Executive Director Dmitri Seals at dseals@baudl.org or 510-517-0069 and make a time to drop by our brand new office.
Speaking of the new office, we will have an Office Warming Party on July 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 - save the date, and look forward to more news soon!
Perry Green joins the BAUDL as a UDL alum, a veteran political campaigner, and a committed youth worker.
The Bay Area Urban Debate League is excited beyond measure to welcome its new Program Director, Perry Green. He comes to us as a graduate of the Chicago UDL and the college debate powerhouse at the University of Louisville - after years of coaching debate and working on political campaigns, he is more than ready to help BAUDL youth use their academic skills to lead in the real world.
Get in touch with Perry: Our new Program Director is excited to hear from all the stakeholders in BAUDL, from principals and teachers to students and parents, from all the communities of the Bay Area. Reach out to him and share your ideas on how to push this program forward at 
or 510-575-9131.
Perry had these words to share as he entered his first day:
I am honored and thrilled to be serving as the new Program Director of the Bay Area Urban Debate League. The experiences I have had in the political world and the non-profit sector have prepared me to bring new energy and ideas to the table.
There has not been a day since I began debating in 1999 in which I have not given great consideration to the improvement and reform of our educational system to increase opportunities for at-risk and marginalized youth. In my opinion nothing is more important. I look forward to working to increase rigorous, student-centered pedagogical opportunities for young people in the Bay Area.
Fremont debaters Angel and Nick bask in the glow of a day spent in fierce - and fun - competition.
Hosted on May 14-15 at Fremont High School, the Third Annual League Championship was two days of fierce intellectual battle among the best and brightest in the Bay Area! With many brand new and talented students in our Novice division, sharp Junior Varsity debaters, and our powerhouse veterans in our Varsity division, the competition was intense. Here are some results from the tournament:
Congratulations to all the BAUDL debaters who competed at Third Annual League Championshipfor such a great showing! It has been a year filled with many, many accomplishments – and we look forward another amazing year in the 2011-2012 season.
Click here to download the brochure.
For directions, see the bottom of this page. Online registration is now closed. Please arrive at 9AM sharp to guarantee your spot. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Looking for an exciting and rewarding way to spend your summer? Come join us for the 2011 BAUDL Summer Institute! The annual Summer Institute, now in its fourth year, will be held from August 1st to August 5th at Westlake Middle School (2629 Harrison Street in Oakland). The BAUDL Summer Institute is open to debaters of all levels, from brand new students to accomplished veterans, and is free to all high school students. Featuring some of the most talented staff members from all over the country, many prizes, and over 80 of the Bay ’s best and brightest students, the BAUDL Summer Institute is the place to be!
For students, our Summer Institute will provide you with the skills and knowledge to win all of this year’s debate tournaments. The BAUDL Summer Institute is also a great way to meet friends from all over the Bay Area, prepare for college, and discuss and come up with ways to solve the most important issues facing our community. Plus, you will have tons of opportunities to win prizes, including iPods!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (510) 517-0069 or info@baudl.org.
Directions:
Please arrive at 9AM sharp to guarantee your spot. Looking forward to seeing you there!
